Kentuckians Make Stand against Common Core

On Monday the Kentucky interim Joint Committee on Education meet to discuss Common Core and meet with need resistance.


We want to thank, Kentuckians Against Common Core, those that came out spent the day standing up for the educational rights and protection of your children. Please take a moment to read Steve Shreeve’s comments and to educate yourself on the top-down, one size fits all, government takeover of our education system, known as Common Core. Please help us take a stand, join Kentuckians against Common Core and put a Stop to Common Core in Kentucky!


Kentucky SB-1 Review

As a father of four school-aged children, I am here to voice my concern about the implementation of SB-1 and, particularly, with Common Core. I have a bachelors' degree in Electrical Engineering with two minors in Mathematics and Physics. I have a Masters Degree in Business Administration. Four years of doctorate studies in Medical School rounded out my diverse background in technology, business, and healthcare. I also lived abroad and am fluent in Spanish.

I bring to your attention three fatal flaws in Common Core: 1) poor content, 2) no privacy, and 3) high costs. I urge you to review the increasing evidence online from a litany of sources, across numerous states, from folks of all political persuasions, which reveals Common Core for what it is: a top-down, one size fits all, government takeover of our education system.

How do you define freedom and force? I suggest that freedom is the absence of coercion. It’s not that we can do whatever we want, but that we are not forced into doing what we do not want. George Washington said, “Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” The loss of freedom by increased coercion and force are central to this hearing today and Common Core reflects this painfully recurring theme. First, proponents claim Common Core leads to creativity and innovation. It does just the opposite. In fact, it is utterly anti-intellectual to think that standardizing knowledge is going to lead to creativity and innovation. Even Doctor Holliday’s recent blog post after his thrilling Washington, DC conference visit funded by the Gates Foundation, stated: “One of the most striking things we learned came from the Chinese delegation. China (Shanghai) is well known for being number one in math and reading … However, China is not very happy with its education system. The Chinese are pushing for more creativity and problem solving skills for students.” So, even our State Commissioner realizes that this level of standardization reduces creativity and innovation.

Second, Common Core’s associated databases and sharing of student academic, behavioral, medical, and familial information with entities outside of the school and school district, in conjunction with recent bombshell reports of government encroachment on personal privacy rights creates grave concerns in my mind. I have been bounced around to twelve people from teachers to school administrators to district personnel in IT and administration to state administrators over the past 3 months trying to simply get a summary of the information stored on my children. To date, I have nothing. Yet, this information seamlessly flows between unknown entities and is processed behind the scenes for the “benefit” of my child. Where are my rights as a parent regarding this information? Third, how much does all this cost? What happens when the stimulus funding runs out? My children routinely come home with requests for donations of the most basic items, such as tissue paper or hand sanitizer, but Common Core cost increases take this to a whole new level. An analysis by the State of Alabama found that Common Core implementation increases costs by nearly 10 times. Just this past week, the Oldham County School District announced that 50 employees, including 30 teachers, have to be let go. The money simply is not there. Just wait until Common Core really ramps up. Do not yield our freedom and submit to the servitude that comes with the drug of funding for these programs.

The father of the American Revolution, Sam Adams, dealt with similar issues and made his point thus, “If ye love money better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”

Esteemed ladies and gentlemen, do not abrogate your responsibility to preserve the sovereignty of the Commonwealth of Kentucky or the rights of parents of Kentucky’s school aged children. SB-1 was designed to empower Kentucky to control its educational future. Common Core stifles that goal and yields control. One legislator recently informed me, he was completely unaware of Common Core when SB-1 passed. If it’s so wonderful, why was it brought in the back door? Please, do your homework and put a halt to the madness of Common Core.


Steve Shreeve
La Grange, KY



Thank you Kim & Steve for this update